Absolut Art Bar: Aztecs in Mexico City

Absolut Art Bar reincarnates Aztec Empire in Mexico City to take it back to the old, old days.

Tenochtitlan – once the Aztec capital and one of the largest metropolises in Central America – was, for two-days only, resurrected as an Art Bar at the Material Art Fair in Mexico City, all in partnership with Absolut.

Sangree - the Mexican art duo consisting of Mexico City-born Rene Godinez Pozas and Carlos Lara - were given total creative freedom to conceptualise and mix the quirks of both ancient and modern design. The pair were responsible for creatively transporting the guests back to 15th-Century life by completely overhauling a large abandoned building. Large-scale columns mimicked ancient architecture, while assorted sculptures and relics doubled up as archaeological artefacts from the era.

The result was a stylishly fitting homage to the ancient Aztec city and in an unexpectedly romantic touch, it was built upon the same site that Tenochtitlan once stood - in the hustle and bustle of Mexico’s capital.

Sangree also teamed up with an Absolut mixologist to create a series of unique Artist Cocktails to match the surroundings, inspired by the fruits and spices historically used by the Aztecs during their reign. Hibiscus, chili and cacao all create a vivid, exciting flavor palette that’s as delicious now as it was all those centuries ago.

The bar was split into four distinctively different districts: ‘The Religious, ‘The Warriors, ‘The Urban’ and the ‘Agricultural Ghettos’ and each of the four districts served a different cocktail to differentiate the themes. The added historical oomph? Guests were given fake cocoa beans - the currency of the ancient Aztecs - to use as tokens to trade for drinks in each district. It really was a vision of authenticity.